Engaging the Enemy
by americanloozer
Summary: When a project that Dumbledore assigns gets out of hand, the hearts of a witch and wizard are at stake. DR
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **All of these characters belong to J.K Rowling _etc. etc._

**Authorts Note:** This is my FIRST fan fiction ever. So enjoy it, or don't. Im up for any type of critism, so give it your best shot. I would like to dedicate this chapter to Hogwarts- Thank you so much for believeing in me when I didnt even believe in myself. Also, thank you for editing this chapter!

**Chapter one.**

It was the beginning of the trio's sixth year at Hogwarts, Perhaps the most dreaded year

of all. Voldemort was truly back and no one had doubted it this time.

Harry Potter sighed as he rested his head against a window in the Hogwarts express.

"What's wrong mate?" asked Ron, but Harry shook his head and closed his eyes. Ron gave Hermione a concerned look.

"Harry you haven't said a single word the whole ride." Hermione said with a hint of sympathy in her voice. Harry didn't answer.

"Fine then, I'm going to see how much longer we have until we get there." Hermione said irritably as she walked out of the compartment they were sitting in.

"Come on Harry, what's with you?" Ron asked on a sigh.

Harry turned and looked at Ron. He didn't exactly know what was wrong. Ever since the beginning of the summer he slipped into a deep depression. He hadn't talked to anyone, well except when he was yelling at his oafish cousin, Dudley. Harry supposed that it was correlated with Sirius's death, but one night when he was laying in bed wishing he could fall asleep more easily, different thoughts came about. He started to remember things that he had never even experienced, yet he was in these memories.

"I'm fine." Harry stated blandly.

"No, your not! You have hardly said a word for the past two weeks you've been at my house. Mum was having a fit. She's worried about you Harry. We all are."

As Ron finished his last words the train stopped, and Hermione swung open the compartment door. "We're here"

"Welcome everyone to yet another year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore bellowed to the hundreds of kids sitting in the great hall. "This year, I want all of you to feel safe here at this school. Voldemort's…" as Dumbledore said this there were flinches in the Hall. "Voldemort's return has put a damper on all of your lives, I'm sure. But here at Hogwarts everything is safe. I don't want Voldemort's return to have any effect on your performance here at school." Dumbledore stated in a firm tone, "Now that you all are fed, its time for you to rest up. And again, Welcome back."

As Dumbledore finished his short speech almost everyone headed for the doors.

Draco Malfoy was one who had stayed behind the rest of the student body. He was speaking with Crabbe and Goyle.

"You got that Crabbe?" Draco asked seriously.

"Yeah, I will meet you guys at five next week on the Quidditch field." Crabbe said in obedient response.

"Good." Goyle and Draco said in unison.

"Hey you! What are you runts still doing here?" Filtch demanded in a hoarse voice as he snuck up behind the trio.

Goyle, Draco and Crabbe took off at full speed. As Draco ran out of the great hall doors he collided with a witch and toppled to the ground. He held his breathe and listened for Filtch's voice. There was no sound. Draco could feel a body stiff underneath him and he looked down. Oh shit. It's Granger he thought. She was looking him in the eye. He felt vague surprised she wasn't hurling insults at him.

"If you don't mind, I would like to get up." Hermione said with apparent annoyance in her voice.

Draco surveyed Hermione. Something changed about her. She looked different. She looked older and he liked it.

"Watch where your going next time you damn mud-blood." When the words left his mouth, they didn't make him feel satisfied like the other times he had called her a mud-blood. This time the words make him feel a twinge of guilt. He looked down at her lips. He wanted to kiss her. Before he could convince himself otherwise he lowered his head, put his hand on her cheek and crashed his lips to hers.

The cold ground below Hermione went warm, her cheeks flushed and her heart picked up its pace. Hermione put her hands in Draco's hair and changed the angle of the kiss.

He expected her to suppress, but she was definitely not restraining. He expected to hate kissing Hermione, but he felt excitement rather than hatred pumping through his veins, and he did not like that. It took everything inside of him to pull away from her.

It took Hermione numerous seconds to regain her composure, and once she did she realized an ache was spreading through her. She felt Draco's weight lift off of her body and she stumbled as she rose. Once Hermione was steady she took a step closer to Draco and.. (WHAPP!) She smacked him square on his left cheek.

"Bloody hell women, what's your problem?" Draco demanded as he brought his hand up to his cheek.

"You're my problem Malfoy. How dare you just... just... attack me like that!"

"Seemed to me that you were doing nothing to try and stop it." he stated, his voice growing louder in indignation.

"Why did you even do it then?" Hermione asked scathingly.

"Because I wanted to Granger, and I always get what I want." he said, but his tone was now cool and indifferent.

"Think again wise ass!" she bent down to collect her books and she stormed away.

"I want her", he thought to himself amused, even though he didn't like the fact that he wanted her. And then to comfort himself he reasoned to not let it go any farther than wanting.

The kiss infuriated her. She had never felt her heart beat so erratically in her life. "It was only because he fell on me and knocked the wind out of me." She told herself over and over as she made her way back to the Gryffindor common room. But she knew there was more to it then just falling over and loosing her breathe. She gave the password to the Fat Lady and walked inside the common room.

Hermione was stunned to see Harry lying on top of Ginny. She was even more stunned to see them snogging.

"Well, isn't today just filled with surprises." Hermione said as she walked over to an empty chair and sunk into it.

Harry leapt off of Ginny as he heard Hermione's voice. "Hermione.. Umm.. We were just-"

"Harry, you don't have to explain." Hermione said

"You mean.. You don't care if Ginny and me.. are together?" Harry asked

"Of course not. I think it's wonderful. If anyone is going to care its Ron."

"We know, that's why you have to promise not to tell him." Ginny said, an anxious look on her

face.

"Don't worry. I will have no problem keeping your secret. But what are you going to do if he finds out?" Hermione asked

"Well, we were just hoping he wouldn't find out" Ginny said slowly.

"Harry, I need to talk to Ginny alone." Hermione said, looking over to Harry.

"Okay, I'm going to go to bed. 'Night Hermione." As Harry said this he walked over to Ginny and gave her a peck on the lips, and whispered something in her that made her giggle.

"See you tomorrow." He said softly and nipped at her earlobe.

When Harry was out of earshot Hermione got up and started to pace the room.

"Hermione, is something the matter?" Ginny asked, biting her lip.

"How did you do it?" Hermione asked crisply as she sat in the chair across from Ginny.

"Do what?"

"Get Harry to be Happy. This is the first time in two weeks that he has actually looked like he was enjoying life." Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"I didn't do anything intentionally."

"Well how did you guys end up… you know… kissing?" Hermione asked awkwardly

"After dinner I came in here to read.." she started as she pointed to a book that was lying on the floor. "Everyone had gone up to bed. Harry and Ron came in late. Ron went right to bed, but Harry sat down next to me. I didn't think anything of it. I just went on reading." Ginny said and paused for a minute as she brought her knees up to her chin. "Then he asked me what my book was about. I didn't think he was really interested, just thought he was making small talk. I told him what it was about and then he told me that it was a waste of my time. I put my book down and looked at him. Then we started arguing about god knows what. Then out of nowhere, he kissed me. A minute or two later you walked in." Ginny said. "But its not the first time we've kissed." Ginny finished

Hermione shrieked "WHAT?"

"The first time we kissed was the day we went to get him from the Dursley's"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked, hurt.

"Harry asked me not to tell anyone." Ginny stated

"Did you know why he has been so unhappy?"

"Nope, haven't hammered that one out of him yet. I figure if he wants me to know, he will tell me. I'm not saying I wont ask again sooner or later, but I have to give it time." Ginny said, and then: "Hermione, what's really wrong?" Ginny asked.

Hermione looked at Ginny for a moment then sighed. "If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone." Hermione said.

"I swear" Ginny said as she shifted on the couch, leaning towards Hermione eagerly.

"Draco Malfoy took my first kiss"

"Are you serious?" Ginny squealed "When?"

"After dinner I went to Professor Mcgonagall's class room to ask her about my schedule. There was a course on it that I had already taken last year. After it was fixed I started to walk back to the common room. I saw Malfoy running out of the great hall and I guess he didn't see me because he ran right into me and we fell to the floor. I asked curtly if I could get up, he told me to watch where I was going next time, and then he kissed me." Hermione said then let out a long breath. "And the worst part was that I actually liked it."

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed

"It's horrible, I know. I shouldn't have liked it. I hate Malfoy." Hermione knew she was whining but at the moment she did not care.

"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked

"I'm not going to do anything. I'm just going to act like it never happened. I have never had a problem avoiding Malfoy in the past, I don't think it will be any harder now."

Ginny got up and went to pick up her book. "I wish you the best of luck with that one, Hermione."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked as she stood up

"I'm just saying it's not going to be as easy as you think to avoid Malfoy this time"

"How do you know?" Hermione Snapped

"Well, for starters, he kissed you. That means something. I might be wrong. But why would Malfoy kiss you if he had no intentions of…" Ginny paused for a moment "no intentions of getting involved with you?"

Annoyed, Hermione sat down again and contemplated what Ginny had just said.

"I hope your wrong." Hermione replied, finally defeated.

"Me too" Ginny said as she turned and went up to bed.

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed, "This is going to be an interesting year." She mumbled

Hermione awoke early and couldn't fall back to sleep. She decided to go down to breakfast early and catch up on her reading. As she walked down the stairs her mind trailed off to the night before. What Ginny said had made her uncomfortable. She wanted to believe that forgetting the kiss between her and Draco would be easy, but she was already proving herself wrong.

"This is so stupid, Malfoy has probably already forgotten everything." She murmured to herself as she made her way to the great hall.

"What was that?" a silky voice said behind Hermione. She turned around quickly. When she saw it was him she gasped and stumbled back a few steps.

"You get startled easily, Granger." Draco said. He moved a bit closer and saw her move a step back. "What are you scared of?" he asked quietly

"I'm not scared of anything, Malfoy" Hermione shot back

"Oh really." He paused for a moment "Then why are you moving away from me?" Draco asked as he took a step forward and again, saw her take a step back.

"It might have to do with the fact that I find you insufferable, but it has nothing to do with fear." Hermione tried to make her voice sound solid but it came out Shaky. She was lying. She was afraid of him. He took a step closer. She took a step back. She looked up and caught his eye. The way his pale gray eyes roamed her face made something knot in her stomach.

"I have to get out of here!" she thought to herself. She took a step back and hit a wall. Hermione started to panic when she saw the gleam of amusement in Malfoy's eyes. He slowly moved closer and lowered his head until there lips were an inch apart.

"Your afraid of what happens to you when I touch you." He whispered as he pulled her a bit closer.

"Who the hell are you to tell me-" That was it. Her words were terminated completely as his mouth clamped over hers. She stood there and let his lips grind her mind to mush.

She had pushed him beyond his own rules. Grabbing unwilling women was not what Draco normally did. Oh, but she tasted of rich honey. The kind that you are always compelled to lick off your finger. The kind that, even as a little child he couldn't resist. When her lips opened for his, he dived in. Wanting more.

She could feel his hands on the back of her neck. Her skin seemed to be on fire. As sensations started to swim through her she threw her arms around his neck and gave him back desire for desire. He pulled her closer and they made a single figured shadow on the wall.

"Hey!" a squeaky voice shouted from what seemed like afar.

The sound didn't register in her head.

"Hey!" the voice shouted again, louder.

Draco could have cheerfully committed murder. He kept a hand on Hermione's waist and turned his head and looked down at a very short boy that looked like he was in his first year.

"Go away" Draco demanded "Very far away" His voice was very deep and angry now. He could feel Hermione pulling away from him. The boy's eyes got wide and he ran away. When Draco turned back, Hermione was bending down to collect her books.

"Granger, I…" He was cut off

"Don't ever touch me, ever again." Hermione hissed, turned and walked into the great hall where she knew it was safe.

Her heart was still pressing hard blows against her ribs when she sat down at the Gryffindor table and buried her head in a book. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She didn't like the helpless feeling Draco gave her every time he came around. She hated it that he could make her mind go blank within seconds. She hated it that he could make her heart beat so fast. She hated it even more that her heart wasn't beating fast out of anger, but from desire, from need. Of all people why would Draco Malfoy make her feel desire, feel that aching need in the pit of her stomach?

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ron asked as he and Harry sat down across from her.

She closed her book and sat up. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"How long have you been down here?" Harry asked

"Not long. I couldn't sleep. So I can down here to catch up on my reading."

"Aren't you going to eat?" Harry asked as he put some toast on his plate.

"I'm not hungry." Hermione stated

"Hi guys!" Ginny said as she sat down next to Hermione.

They all greeted Ginny. Ron started a deep conversation with Harry about Quidditch. Life went on beyond Draco. Right before breakfast was over Dumbledore stood up, and The Great Hall became quite.

"Everyone but sixth years can go to there first class." Dumbledore said.

Once all the other grades were cleared out Dumbledore started to speak again.

"This year there is going to be a project that all sixth years must complete. This project is going to involve four of your class subjects. Potions, Defense against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, and Transfiguration." Dumbledore paused, as there were groans in the great hall. "You will have partners for this project. You will not have a partner that is in your house. You and your partner will attend those four classes together until the project is finished. During class your teacher will give you time to work with your partner. You will also have to work on it outside of class. On the days you are not scheduled to attend those classes then you are to go back to your normal schedule." Dumbledore paused for a moment and cleared his throat. "For the potions part of this project, you will need to make a potion that turns your partner into an animal for a certain period of time. For the Defense against the dark arts part, you will need to find and prefect a spell that defends this animal from harm. For Care of Magical Creatures, you will need to research and write a paper on how to take care of this animal. Last but not least, for Transfiguration, you will need to find and prefect a spell to change your animal back into a human. Your teachers will give you more detailed directions when you are in the class. Now, I am going to assign partners." Dumbledore said, a twinkle in his blue eyes.

It took 20 minutes until he got to the Gryffindors.

"Ronald Weasly and Pansy Parkinson" as Dumbledore said this Ron froze.

"Harry Potter and Vincent Crabbe. Neville Longbottom and Gregory Goyle." Harry was stunned. Neville was more terrified than stunned. Dumbledore read off more names.

"Seamus Finnigan and Blaise Zabini." Seamus chocked on his pumpkin juice and glared at his haughty Slytherin counterpart.

A smile twitched at the corners of Dumbledore's lips.

Last but not least, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note:** This chapter is a bit shorter. It has a little more humor, and a whole lot of drama. Thanks again to Hogwarts for editing! please Read and Review.

"There is no way I can work with Malfoy, Professor!" Hermione told Professor Mcgonagall

"I'm sorry Miss. Granger but I do not have the authority to change your partner, and even if I did, I wouldn't. I don't see the problem with you and Mr. Malfoy working together." Mcgonagall stated.

"I can name an obvious one. He is a Slytherin and I am a Gryffindor. It's as simple as that. We don't get along." Hermione said pleading.

"That is exactly why Dumbledore did it this way. Ms. Granger, have you noticed that all the students in Gryffindor got pared with a Slytherin?" _Her head of house looked at her, a somewhat cross expression on her features_

"No, I suppose I wasn't paying attention. I had other things on my mind at the time." Hermione said slowly as she took this new information in.

"The Slytherin and Gryffindor houses have been rivals since the beginning of Hogwarts. Dumbledore did this to attempt to bring unity within all four houses. Personally, I think it might make things worse. But I am not about to go and go and question the head master. Now if I am not mistaken, you are supposed to be in Care of Magical Creatures." Mcgonagall said as she shooed Hermione out of her classroom.

Hermione stormed out of Mcgonagall's classroom unsatisfied. This was not happening. It couldn't be. She was supposed to be avoiding Malfoy, not attending classes with him! She was sure of one thing. She would not let Draco Malfoy stop her from making a good grade on this project.

Hermione stepped out of the castle and walked down to Hagrid's hut, where Care of Magical Creatures had already started.

"Sorry that I'm late Hagrid. I had to talk to Professor Mcgonagall." Hermione said apologetically.

"It's alrigh' Hermione. Jes sit down by Malfoy o'er there." Hagrid said as he pointed over to where Draco was sitting. Hermione walked over to Draco, dropped her stuff on the ground and sat down next to him without acknowledgment.

"Like I said before, today yer all goin' ter be pickin' out which animal you want to base yer projects on. You can go as safe as a cat, to as dangerous as a wolf. Whatever yer willing to risk. I have some books 'ere on some animals, but there is probably a wider range in the library. So what are yah waitin' fer? Git ta work!" Hagrid finished as he clapped his hands together.

Hermione shifted on the ground until she was facing Draco.

"Have any suggestions, Granger?" Draco asked as he eyed Hermione.

"Actually, I was thinking we could turn you into a mouse so I can feed you to my cat." Hermione smirked.

"You wouldn't." Draco said in amused tone.

"Under any other circumstances, I would. But I wont, because if I fed you to my cat I wouldn't get a good grade."

"Who said that I'm going to be the one that's being changed into the animal?" Draco asked

"Me" Hermione challenged his superior manor.

"I don't trust you, Granger."

"Oh please Malfoy, this is a grade we're talking about. You could trust me with anything if it involves getting a perfect grade." Hermione said in an annoyed voice.

"And if it didn't involve making a good grade?" Draco asked, a questioning look on his face.

Hermione thought about it for a moment, surprised. "I wouldn't kill you if that's what you're asking." Hermione finally replied though she failed to keep a strait face. A grin burst across her lips.

"You don't do that enough." Draco said as his expression softened.

"Do what?" Hermione said as she looked up at Draco.

"Smile." Draco said softly as he reached across Hermione's books and traced her lips with his thumb. He wondered if she would still taste like honey if he kissed her now. Hermione looked down at the ground to break the contact between her and Draco.

"Stop." Hermione said in barely a whisper.

"Stop what?"

"Touching me." Hermione said as she toyed with the grass.

"Why?" Draco asked as he tucked a strand of hair that had fallen from her bun, behind her ear.

"Because, you make me frightened." Hermione said shakily.

"Me? Make someone like Hermione Granger nervous? I didn't think it was possible." Draco said, his words oozed with sarcasm.

Hermione looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Just keep your hands off of me, Malfoy."

Draco did not answer because he knew he could make no promises. Hermione sighed and opened one of her books.

"I was thinking perhaps could maybe do an Augurey." Hermione said as she flipped through the book.

"A what?" Draco said as he raised his eyebrow.

"It's a fancy name for Irish Phoenix. The potion isn't easy to make. But we don't want to do anything too easy." Hermione said as she found the creature listed in her book. She started to read off the description of the animal.

Draco was studying her face. She looked tired. Her sleepy eyes made her look amiable and more innocent. He could not remember how he ever thought her to be ugly. Her face was exquisite. He was beginning to see Hermione in a whole different light. He did not realize she had stopped reading.

"Malfoy, what are you doing?" Hermione asked as she looked nervously at Draco.

"Just looking." Draco said slowly, a smirk playing on his features.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow and closed her book.

"Anyway, I think you'll make a wonderful bird." Hermione said as she stood up.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked as he followed her up.

"Class is over, Malfoy."

Before she could get any farther he framed her face in his hands.

"Get some sleep." He said lightly as he ran a thumb under her eye. He lowered his head and felt her breath quicken.

"Don't be afraid." Draco whispered.

He pressed his lips gently to hers before she could protest. One taste of her honey-flavored lips made him crazy. He pulled his lips away, not wanting himself to go too far. He rested his brow against hers. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and took in a deep breath.

"Malfoy…" She whispered. "I'm not ready for you." Her lips were quivering and she though hesitant, she now wanted to press them hard against his again.

He let his hands slide down to the back of her neck.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hermione." He kissed her forehead and walked away.

"Ginny, he called me by my first name." Hermione said airily as they sat down at the Gryffindor table for lunch.

"Well, that is your name." Ginny said, giggling.

"I know, but he normally calls me Granger, or just insults me to get my attention." Hermione said as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice. "All I want to know is, why me? I mean, haven't him an Pansy been going together?"

"They were last year, but she cheated on him over summer vacation." Ginny stated.

"How do you know?" Hermione asked.

"It's all over school. So naturally, Lavender told me."

Hermione smiled and then sighed. "Still, doesn't he have something against 'mudbloods'?"

"I don't know. Maybe he changed his mind." Ginny said.

Hermione rested her chin in her hands and closed her eyes. "I'm so tired. I don't think I've slept in three days."

"Go to bed." Ginny said as she started to put food on her plate. "If I were you, I would take this project thing for advantage. I mean, today all you had was one class and the rest of the day off."

"That goes both ways. Some days I have class after class, with no break besides lunch." Hermione said. "I would gladly change places with you."

"I thought you adored school work, Hermione."

"I love school. I just don't want to do this project with Malfoy." Hermione said and then rolled her eyes. "I'm not hungry. I'm going to the library to study." Hermione said as she stood up.

"See you later then." Ginny shook her head and smirked. "She's going to loose it before this project is over." Ginny mumbled and continued eating.

Draco walked into the library after dinner to try and get some peace and quiet. He went to sit down at the table in the back, but then he saw Hermione. Her arms were crossed and her head was lying on top of a pile of books. She was asleep. He went over to her table and sat next to her. He softly brushed away the hair that had fallen in her face. "What am I suppose to do about you, Hermione Granger?" Draco whispered and then sighed. He bent down and lightly kissed the corners of her mouth and felt her stir underneath his hand that gently caressed her back. Her eyes opened slightly before closing again.

"Draco?" she said his name groggily.

"Yes."

"I thought you were a butterfly."

"You've been dreaming." Draco said softly as he continued to caress her back.

Hermione did not see why it mattered as long as those long, warm caresses would never stop.

"Mmm. That feels good." Hermione moaned.

He could tell that she was still disoriented in her sleepiness.

"Does it?" Draco asked.

"Mmhmm." His touch brought a tremble to her spine. A more concentrated arousal.

"When I said that you should get some sleep. I didn't mean in the library." Draco said as he trailed a finger down her backbone.

"What? We're in the library?" Hermione asked as she sat up.

"Yes, we are in the library." He said matter-of-factly as he took his hand off of her back.

"Why are you here?" Hermione demanded.

"I came in here to get some peace and quiet."

"Well, can you go and get some peace and quiet away from me." Hermione retorted.

"Your not gong to be able to avoid me forever, Hermione."

"Maybe not forever, but I'm hoping I can hold out until I graduate and I never have to see you again." Hermione shot back as she collected her books and left. She was about to walk out of the library when Ginny ran in and almost knocked Hermione over.

"Ginny, what's the matter?" Hermione asked as she regained her balance.

"Ron… he…" Ginny said, out of breathe.

"Is something wrong with Ron?" Hermione asked in a panic as she pushed Ginny down into a chair.

"No, Ron found out." Ginny said as she stood up again.

"Ron found out what?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"ABOUT ME AND HARRY!" Ginny exclaimed and had everyone in the library looking at her. Hermione pulled Ginny out of the library by her arm.

"Calm down." Hermione said as the door to the library shut behind them.

"Ron is going to strangle Harry! How am I supposed to calm down?" Ginny squealed.

"Come on, we will go calm him down also." Hermione said as they started jogging toward the Gryffindor common room.

Draco got up and left the library. He figured he would skip dinner and go straight to bed. _So, Potter and Weaslette are together are they?_ Draco thought to himself, more amused than anything.

He knew it would happen one day. He saw the way Harry studied Ginny's every last feature. Personally, he thought it was disgusting. Draco stopped that thought. He did the exact same thing to Hermione just a couple of hours ago.

_What is happening to me? _Hermione was not his _usual type of preference, and these thoughts were registering to his brain at an alarmingly quick rate._

And then, _For Christ sake, she is a mud-blood!_ He thought to himself. But for some reason, the mere fact that Hermione was a mud-blood did not bother him the same way it had in previous years. In fact, it did not bother him at all anymore…

Draco took in a sharp breath as he was wrenched against the wall.

"Pansy! What the bloody hell do you think your doing?" Draco yelled.

"Draco, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to cheat on you. Take me back!"

"Get off of me! I'm not in the mood for your shit!" Draco ground his teeth.

"But I love you, Drakey."

"No, you don't! If you loved me you wouldn't have had sex with that Italian boy!" as Draco finished Pansy got on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

Hermione sighed and stepped out of the Gryffindor common room. It was a lot of work to calm Ron down. But once everything was explained he was actually quiet. She told him that it was better Ginny was with someone Ron trusted, rather than with someone he did not even know. He was not exactly _okay_ with the idea. But he was not going to fight against it anymore. Hermione ran a hand through her hair. She turned the corner to enter the next hall.

And then saw them.

Draco Malfoy was kissing Pansy Parkinson.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: **Sorry this chapter took so long. I have been pretty busy since HBP came out. Had to read that, get everything ready for school, start highschool, get used to everything.. But anyway. I would like to thank Nicole aka Hogwarts for editing. This story would be full of all kinds of mistakes if it wasnt for her. Enjoy..

**Chapter 3.**

Hermione's stomach was in her throat; she felt like she could vomit at any moment. She looked down at the floor and walked quickly past Draco and Pansy.

Draco was just able to see Hermione walk by hurriedly and turn the corner. He threw Pansy off of him and she hit the wall on the other side of the corridor. She let out a whimper as Draco jammed his wand to her throat.

"You will never kiss me, speak to me, or look at me, ever again. Do you understand?" Draco said through gritted teeth. When she didn't answer he dug his wand deeper. She _nodded_ her head. He took his wand away from her throat and _watched with grim satisfaction_ as she ran away.

Hermione sat down across from Ginny and Harry in the Great Hall and slammed her head down on the Gryffindor table. Ginny jumped.

"Hermione, what's the matter?" asked Harry as he looked curiously at her.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing. Everything is just fine!" Hermione mumbled.

"Okay then." Ginny said slowly.

_Who cares if I saw them kissing._ Hermione thought to herself. _It's just like him to think he can get anyone! Well he isn't going to have me._ Hermione declared to herself.

"Harry, I'm going to go to the common room now. Hermione, get up." Ginny said as she rounded the table.

"What?" Hermione asked, _taking her head away from the cool wood of the table to raise her eyebrows at Ginny._

"Get up. You're coming with me."

Hermione slowly got up. Ginny grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the Great Hall.

"Ginny, is there a problem?" Hermione _looked at her friend in curiosity_

"I don't have a problem, but you do."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked as she stumbled up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room.

"What do I mean? Hermione, you marched into the great hall and made an _indent with your head_on the table! What happened?" Ginny demanded as she gave the password to the Fat Lady.

"It's nothing," Hermione said as she sat down in her favorite armchair _in front of the fire_

"It is too something. Now tell me!"

"I thought you said Pansy and Draco broke up," Hermione said _at last, tentative_

"They did. Why?"

"I saw them kissing on my way to dinner," Hermione said quietly.

"Hermione, I thought you didn't like him," Ginny said, her own tone becoming softer.

"I don't! I was just surprised... that's all." Hermione stated.

Ginny rolled her eyes and sighed. "Hermione, why can't you just admit you like him?" She asked, frustrated.

"Because Ginny, I don't like him. I loath him and the ground he walks on," Hermione said as she bent down to pick up Crookshanks.

"I'm not going to argue with you about this, Hermione. So, if you want to get through this project, just give Malfoy the cold shoulder. It will probably go faster that way." Ginny said _frowning_, as Harry and Ron stepped into the common room.

"Who is going to give who the cold shoulder?" Harry asked as he made his way to the couch where Ginny was sitting.

"Hermione is going to _attempt_ to give Malfoy the cold shoulder." Ginny said, _her bushy-haired female counterpart glaring in her direction_

"Oh, that. I hate this damned project. Crabbe is so stupid. I don't think he can tell the difference between a dog and a cat." Harry said as he pulled Ginny onto his lap.

"It must be horrible." Ginny said soothingly as she shifted on Harry's lap and pressed her mouth to his.

"Oh, you have no idea," Harry said quietly against her lips.

"Okay, I'm going up to bed," Ron said **loudly**and darted up the stairs, desperate to get away from the sight of his sister snogging his best friend.

Yeah, I'm going to head up too," Hermione said, _following Ron. Harry and Ginny were too occupied to notice._

The next morning Hermione walked down to the Potions room, bewildered at why Harry and Ron had not shown up for breakfast. There was a crowd of sixth years lingering around outside the classroom, waiting for double Potions _session_ to start.

"Where were you two this morning?" Hermione _inquired_ as she approached Harry and Ron.

"Throwing dung bombs down the Slytherin corridor," Ron said, obviously proud.

"What? Ron! You're a prefect!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Since when has that stopped me from doing anything?" Ron snickered.

"Don't worry Hermione, no one knows it was us. We told Filtch that Peeves did it," Harry reassured her.

"Very clever," Hermione said sarcastically.

Someone tapped Hermione on the shoulder; _she turned around and narrowed her eyes in disgust when she realized it was Draco._

"What do you want Malfoy?" Hermione spat, still glaring at him.

"I need to talk you," Draco stated.

"Well, then start talking," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I was thinking _perhaps somewhere more_ private."

Hermione's tone remained icy. "If you have something to say to me, could you please just say it here? Class is about to start."

"No, I can't say it here." _Draco was beginning to look angry_.

"Give it up Malfoy, she said she didn't want to go," Harry cut in.

"Potter, is that you? I didn't recognize you without Weaslette hanging from your face," Draco _retorted_

Hermione raised her fist and was about to strike but Draco caught her fist in his hand.

"You're going to have to be faster than that, _Granger_."

She raised her other fist but he caught that one too. The _door chose that moment to swing_open and Professor Snape stepped outside.

"Well, well. What do we have here? Miss. Granger, were you just attempting to hit Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked, his voice silkier than ever. Before Hermione had a chance to respond he was talking again. "Twenty points from Gryffindor. Now inside before I change my mind and give you a detention also."

All the students went inside and sat down next to their Slytherin partners. Once Hermione sat down next to Draco she leaned in and whispered harshly in his ear, "I will not be your toy Malfoy, I will not have my mind played with. Whatever interest you have in me, you better lose it because I'm done with this stupid game." As Hermione finished, Snape started the lesson, _leaving a disgruntled Draco with no response_.

The next two weeks went by incredibly smooth. Draco and Hermione attended all the required classes together and only spoke to each other when it regarded their project. Their Augury potion was well underway and all other required assignments that went along with it.

Hermione was shocked that Draco had not attempted to corner her or make a remark that sent her heart racing. These days she found her life dull. She tired of watching Harry and Ginny grow closer, it only sent waves of jealously through her system. She tried hanging out with Ron, but he had taken on a new obsession with Parvati and she found that she could not stand another minute of him rambling about her. Harry and Ron were still her best friends, they had just found other people that were important to them. Once again books were the best things in her life.

"Do you see the way he looks at her?" Crabbe asked Goyle.

"Yes. It's bloody disgusting!" Goyle replied flippantly, as he threw his wand towards the sky and caught it again.

"Where is he? He was supposed to be here by now," Crabbe whined.

"He isn't coming. We've been here for an hour," Goyle said as he threw his wand up again. And as it was coming back down _to hit him in his eye_, "Owe!"

"Come on you stupid pig. Let's go back to the Common Room," Crabbe growled.

_Upon returning_ to the Common Room, Crabbe and Goyle found Draco sitting in an armchair drinking firewhiskey.

"Where the bloody hell were you?" Crabbe demanded, _mouth opening and closing in anger_

"What _are you going on about now_? I've been here the whole time," Draco said, not even looking up.

"You were suppose to meet us in front of the lake," Goyle said, still rubbing his eye.

"And why would I want to do that?" Draco asked, taking another swig of firewhiskey.

"Because we had plans to sabotage Potter and his gang! Remember?" Crabbe spat, getting more frustrated, _a vein pumping about his left brow_.

"Oh, that. I changed my mind," Draco said as he got up and put the firewhiskey away.

"_What's with you lately, Draco_" Crabbe asked. "Nothing," Draco said plainly. "I'm going to bed."

As Draco was climbing the stairs Crabbe spoke, "It's the Granger girl isn't it?"

Draco stopped and turned to look at Crabbe. "What?"

"Granger. You're moping around because of her. I heard what she said to you in Potions. I have seen the way you look at her during meals. Why are you falling for that Mudblood? You could have anyone in the school and you choose her?"

"You don't know what you're talking about. I didn't choose her," Draco retorted and stormed off to bed.

Everything Crabbe said was getting to him. Ever since Potions a couple weeks back, Draco was not feeling the same. He did not even know what it was. He refused to believe his mood was shot because of her, it just could not possible. Draco threw himself down on his bed and looked at his watch. It was only six in the evening. No matter how hard he tried, Draco could not get Hermione off of his mind. The way she smelled of fresh violets. The way her lips tasted of honey. The way her eyes reminded him of caramel. All of the things he used to hate about her were now drawing him to her. He thought she was something he would never figure out. But while he laid there in the dark trying his hardest not to think of her, he slowly drifted off into a deep sleep and dreamt about the girl with honey flavored lips and those caramel eyes.

"He's gone _mad,_" Goyle said as he looked in the mirror at his swollen eye.

"I know! What we should do?" Crabbe _mused, his face twisted into the unfamiliar expression of thought._

_Goyle grunted and swiped at his eye._

"Let's frame him," Crabbe said as he walked over to Goyle.

_Goyle stared. "Why... how?"_

"If we dump out Granger's potion for the project and make it seem like Draco did it, then he'll be furious at her for even thinking he would destroy his own project. Then BAM! That's the end of the Mudblood and Malfoy." Crabbe said, thinking he was a genius.

Goyle shrugged and followed Crabbe out of the Common Room.

Crabbe and Goyle went into the empty classroom where all the students were allowed to store their potions.

"Here it is!" Crabbe whispered. He picked it up and walked out into the schoolyard. _When he was_sure no one was looking, and then he poured the _potion's contents into_ the grass and ran back into the classroom. "Give me the gloves, Goyle."

Goyle took the gloves out of his pocket and handed them to Crabbe. Crabbe took out his quill and wrote _Draco Malfoy_ on both gloves. He placed the cauldron back in its spot and put the gloves down inside.

"Let's get out of here," Crabbe said smarmily. Goyle shrugged _once again_ and followed Crabbe out of the empty classroom.

Hermione shut her book and put it in her bag. She had been in the library for three hours and decided she should go work on the potion. Once she got to the empty classroom she searched through rows and rows of cauldrons to find hers.

"No," Hermione whispered as she bent down and studied the empty cauldron. She picked up the gloves and ran her fingers over the name _Draco Malfoy_. "This can't be right," Hermione mumbled to herself. _Malfoy wouldn't do this. It's his project too_. She thought to herself. She dropped the gloves back into the cauldron and jumped up. This could not be happening, they had worked to hard. She ran out of the classroom and down to the entrance of the Slytherin Common Room.

"I need to talk to Draco Malfoy," Hermione said as fast as she could _to the snarky looking man in the dungeon door's portrait_

"You need the password."

"But this is important!" Hermione pleaded.

"I cannot let you in with out the password madam." He sniffed.

Hermione spun around to see if there was any Slytherins coming down the corridor. A scrawny first year was approaching her. "Hey _you_, can you go in and get Draco Malfoy and tell him that Hermione Granger needs him. Tell him its urgent!" Hermione said frantically.

The boy nodded and whispered the password to the portrait and disappeared behind it. She started to pace back and forth_. Who would do this?_ She asked herself over and over. _Her pacing became so fast that she hardly_realized Malfoy was standing there watching her.

"What is so urgent Granger, that you insisted on waking me up?" Draco growled.

Hermione stopped pacing _long enough to cock an eyebrow his way_. "It's hardly after six. Why were you sleeping?"

"I sleep when I get tired," Draco said _haughtily_ "Now what do you want_!"_

"œIenttoeckheptionnitasepty!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Slow down" Draco said as he held up his hand, motioning her to stop talking. "What was that?"

"I went to check the potion and it was empty!" Hermione yelled.

"Calm down, Granger! You're going to give yourself a heart attack!"

"I'm not in the mood for jokes Malfoy! The potion is gone! It's empty!" Hermione said urgently. "Come on!" She took Draco's hand and pulled him as fast as she could to the classroom. Malfoy had to run to keep up with Hermione's pace. Once they got there she showed him the empty cauldron. He knelt down and picked up the gloves. _These aren't mine_. Draco thought to himself. He turned around and saw Hermione up against the wall.

"Hermione, I-"

"I know you didn't do it." Hermione said quietly as she looked at the ground and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not stupid."

"Of course not," Draco said as he dropped the gloves and stood up. He studied her while she looked at the ground. _She was not frantic anymore at least_. She looked drained of energy. She had dark purple rings around her eyes and her body looked frail, like she hadn't eaten for days. Her skin looked like she had not seen sun in her life. He had never seen her look so helpless in all the years he had known her. Not once had he seen her drop her defen_s_es.

Hermione slid down the wall, buried her head in her knees and started to weep silently. All the frustration, anger, and fatigue that she had been holding in ever since school started _rolled_out in tears.

Draco heard her start to cry and he walked over to her, pulled her to her feet and held her. She wrapped her arms around him and gripped at his shirt. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair.

Hermione heard him murmur softly in her ear but she could not make out what he was saying. She did not care. All she needed was him to keep holding her, to comfort her and make things better again.

Her crying slowed down and eventually stopped. Draco heard her breathing take on a steady pattern. Then he felt her body go limp. He looked down at her. She had cried herself to sleep.

"Must have been bloody tired to fall asleep standing up," Draco whispered as he picked her up. "What am I suppose to do with you? I just can't leave you here," He said, _more to himself than the sleeping girl in his grasp_

Draco did not know the Gryffindor password; he also could not leave her in the classroom. Hours had gone by since they first arrived and everyone in the castle was probably sleeping by now. He could only think of one solution. Bring her back to his bed.

He gave the portrait the password and carried Hermione in. It looked like everyone had gone to bed. He thanked Merlin for that. Draco made his way to the room and quietly opening the door and slowly moved in. He laid Hermione down on his bed and took off her shoes. Draco bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. "Sleep well, Hermione," he whispered. Then he closed the hangings around the bed and went back into the Common Room.

"Damn birds," Hermione mumbled. She turned over and squinted at the clock. "Ten! I was suppose to be in class a half hour ago!" Hermione said as she sat straight up. _Oh yeah, it's Saturday._ She thought, _relieved_ Hermione brought the covers over her face and snuggled back into bed. _This doesn't smell like my blanket._ Hermione thought to herself. She sat back up and looked down at the covers. "These are green," she stated aloud. Hermione looked around and saw green hangings. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she was not going color blind, but sure enough, everything was green. Hermione retraced her steps from last night. _I showed Draco the empty cauldron, I cried, I…_ She stopped thinking, because she couldn't remember what had happened next. "I must have fallen asleep," Hermione whispered. _"What if someone sees me?"_ She asked herself.

But without thinking she jumped out _of the foreign_ bed, ran out of the room, past Draco sleeping on the couch, out of the Slytherin Common Room, and right into Harry and Ron throwing dung bombs down the Slytherin corridor.


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note:** Well. Here it is. Finally. Sorry it took so long. Life has been busy. I just want to thank all of the reviewers. All of your nice comments actually keep me motivated to keep the story going. Also, I biiiiiig thank you to my friend Nicole (Hogwarts). If it wasnt for her, then this story would be lacking punctuation and correct grammer of all sorts. Enjoy.

**Recap:** Harry and Ron have just discovered Hermione comming out of the Slytherin common room.

**Chapter 4.**

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks. She thought about running, thought that maybe they had not noticed it was her. That idea dissipated when she saw the looks of shock on their faces.

"Hermione, what in the bloody hell were you doing in there?" Ron stuttered out as a dung bomb fell out of his hand.

"Um, I was, I was just," Hermione began, though she was lost for words. "I was just working on my project!" she exclaimed. Harry and Ron rose an eyebrow, looked at each other, and then back at Hermione.

"Hermione, it's ten in the morning, Malfoy wouldn't be up this early," Harry said.

"Yes, I am aware of what time it is," Hermione shot back.

"So you two tried to fool me did you?" A hoarse voice came from behind Ron and Harry.

They spun around and came face to face with Filtch. "Peeves isn't the one who's been throwing the dung bombs, it was you two!" Filtch said, his voice oozing with anger.

"Detention for a month! And no holiday Hogsmeade trip!" He exclaimed, pulling Harry and Ron off by the ears. Hermione sighed with relief. She was off the hook, for at least a little while. She slowly made her way back to the Gryffindor common room and went up to her dormitory. Hermione threw herself down onto her bed. She started thinking of excuses for being in the Slytherin common room. It was no use; Hermione fell into a light slumber.

Draco woke up to a short, red-haired girl shaking him.

"What is it?" Draco growled as he sat up.

"Professor Dumbledore wanted me to deliver this to you," the girl squeaked, holding out an envelope. Malfoy snatched it out of her hand and motioned for the girl to go away.

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_There have been some unfortunate events that have recently t__aken place in your house. You need to pack immediately and make your way down to Hagrid's hut. He will be escorting you to Hogsmeade, where the Night Bus will be picking you up and delivering you to your home. In one week I will retrieve you, and bring you back to school. Now go get your things Mr. Malfoy. Time is wasting. _

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

"What in the world is he going on about?" Draco murmured to himself. "I just got a letter from my mum the other day." Draco jumped off the couch, quickly packed his things, and was at Hagrid's hut in less than five minutes.

Hermione spent most of the weekend avoiding Harry and Ron. She thought about just telling them the truth, but that would get complicated.

_But isn't it already complicated?_ Hermione thought to herself.

She was planning on telling Ginny, but she was always with Harry. She just hoped that they would forget.

On Monday, when Draco did not show up for transfiguration, Hermione was surprised that she felt uneasy rather than relieved. After class Hermione approached Professor Mcgonagall.

"Professor, I need to talk to you."

"What is it Ms. Granger?" Mcgonagall asked, as she looked up from her desk.

"Friday, I was going to go and work on my potion for the project. When I got to the storage room, my cauldron was empty," Hermione said.

"Oh my," Mcgonagall said nervously. "It was only a matter of time before something like this happened," She said, more to herself than the girl standing in front of her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh, never you mind," She said, waving her hand in the air, dismissing the words she has just spoken. "Now, do you have any idea who would have done such a thing?"

"No," Hermione said, clutching at her books.

"Well, you and Mr. Malfoy will just have to start over. When the time comes that the projects are due, and you need more time, I will be glad to give you an extension. I'm so sorry that this happened," Mcgonagall said, standing up. "Now if you will just excuse me, I am going to go speak with Dumbledore on the security of the potions."

"Wait, just one more thing Professor," Hermione said urgently. "Do you know where Malfoy was today?"

"Yes, I do know the whereabouts of Mr. Malfoy."

"Where is he?" Hermione asked.

"I don't think it is my place to give you that information," Mcgonagall said. "But, I can tell you that he will be back in a week. Good day, Ms. Granger."

Hermione decided that the conversation with Professor Mcgonagall was mostly positive. She was happy that she would be able to receive an extension on her and Malfoy's project. But something did not feel right. _Why would Malfoy leave school?_ Hermione thought to herself, as she walked down a deserted corridor. Another thought was just about to surface, but was exterminated when a hand reached out and pulled Hermione violently into a class an empty classroom. She let out a loud screech.

"Hermione, be quiet. It's just me," the voice whispered harshly.

"Ginny, is that you? What is your problem? Why are you whispering?" Hermione asked quickly.

"Yes it's me, Harry is my problem, and I am whispering because I don't want him to hear me." Ginny said, still gripping Hermione's arm.

Hermione looked slowly around the room. "Ginny, Harry isn't here," She said, looking at Ginny as if she were crazy.

"I know, but he is always around. The only time I am not with him is when we're in class, or when I am sleeping," Ginny whispered.

"Just tell him you want a little time to yourself once in a while," Hermione said.

"If only it was that easy!" Ginny whined.

"Ginny, calm down. It is that easy. Believe me, I know Harry," Hermione said.

"I shouldn't even be complaining. I know Harry is hanging around all the time because you and Ron are always busy. I'm his girlfriend, I shouldn't care if he is always with me!" Ginny exclaimed, abandoning her whisper. She brought her hand through her hair and sat down on a nearby chair.

"You alright now?" Hermione asked, a small smile on her lips. She sat down across from Ginny.

"Yeah," Ginny said. When Hermione did not say anything Ginny spoke. "Harry told me that you were in the Slytherin common room Saturday morning."

"It was nothing," Hermione said.

"Of course it was something, Hermione. Now what were you doing in there?"

"I'm serious! It was nothing. Malfoy and I were working on our project and I fell asleep. It was really late so he just brought me to his bed and he slept on the couch. I ran out right when I woke up and it just happened that Harry and Ron were right there," Hermione said, feeling a bit guilty for not telling Ginny the whole truth. "So, if you could, please explain that to your brother and Harry."

Even though Ginny felt that there was more to the situation, she silently nodded her head.

"Er, I have to go… um, see Harry," Ginny said as she pointed awkwardly at the door.

"I thought you just said you have had enough of him," Hermione replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Actually, I am starting to miss him. I'm going to go," Ginny said and walked out of the room.

"She's gone mad," Hermione murmured to herself as Ginny left.

It was two weeks before Christmas break and the day Draco was supposed to return to school. Hermione had gotten the Augury potion back to its beginning stage. But it was still not as good as before. Every day it was looking more and more like they would need the extension. This alone disheartened Hermione. She had never turned in an assignment late in her life.

Dawn was breaking as Hermione sat on the school grounds looking out at the frozen lake. She awoke early and found Ginny and Harry sleeping entangled on the couch. Hermione had a feeling that their infatuation with each other was moving at a rapid and unhealthy pace. Ron had not been attending classes. But the week before, on one of the rare occasions he did attend he ended up setting Pansy's hair on fire. It took Professor Mcgonagall at least ten minutes to put out all of the flames. By that time Pansy's hair was several inches shorter and Ron's nose was out of place. If professor Snape had not walked in at that very moment, then Pansy and Ron would have spent several nights in the hospital wing. Hermione had herself thinking that a few nights in the hospital wing was better than a few weeks of detention with Snape.

Hermione got up and walked to the library. When she opened the door the lights were dim and no one was around. She made her way to the back and sunk into a chair. She closed her eyes and must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew Draco was sitting across from her.

"Do you always choose the library over your bed?" Draco asked as he sat back looking at Hermione.

She sat up quickly and asked, "When did you get here?"

"Hello to you too."

"Sorry, you just startled me," She said apologetically as she rubbed her eyes. "Where have you been?"

"I had to go home and take care of some things," Draco stated. Hermione heard the suppressed anger in his voice and decided not to press. She looked up at him. His face was no longer smooth. The rough lines declared that he had not slept in a number of days. She saw a mixture of anger and sadness in his eyes. She had to restrain the urge to touch his face. Draco took her hand that lay idly on the table and ran his thumb over her wrist. He could feel her pulse jump. To break the silence Hermione spoke.

"We got an extension on our project."

"Indeed we did." Draco said nodding his head.

"Draco, do you know who poured our potion out?" Hermione asked quietly, glancing at the thumb that still grazed her wrist.

"I have my suspicions." Draco said, his voice hardening.

"Who? Why?"

"Don't worry about it. They will pay," Draco said.

Hermione stood up suddenly, breaking the contact between them. "I can't help but worry about it! It's my project too! I want to know who did it!" She demanded. He got up and walked towards her.

"No," She began, and backed away. "I just want to know who did it."

Draco moved quickly and captured her face in his hands. "It's not time to worry about it yet," He whispered. She felt his breath upon her lips, and then the fierce tug of longing in the pit of her stomach as he moved closer. "I can think of better things to do than worry," he said, only a whisper away from her mouth. She was incapable of thinking about anything but him as he nipped at her bottom lip with his teeth and eased the pain with his tongue.

"Draco," Hermione began hesitantly, but he cut her off.

"Hermione, please don't fight me this time."

Something in his voice, that quiet hint of need, had her relaxing against him. So she yielded, and allowed herself a moment of sweet, mindless pleasure as his mouth came down on hers. The desperation of his lips took her by surprise and had her body pulsing within seconds. Her arms instinctively wound around his neck as he pulled her closer. So close that not even a whisper of wind would fit between them. So close that Draco could feel her heart unsteadily beat against his chest. Her head tilted back, demanding he take more. She was intoxicating him. It was an intoxication that he had never experienced with alcohol. He was afraid that if he let go, that he would never experience it again. Once Hermione felt a hand creeping up the back of her shirt a wave of panic shot through her.

"Enough," she managed against his mouth and tried to pull away. She was not quite steady, and had to put a hand down on the table beside her to keep herself upright.

"A truce," Draco said.

"What?" Hermione asked confused.

"Let's call a truce."

Hermione smiled and looked up at him. "Now what fun would that be?" Before he could answer she continued. "Tell you what, lets go get breakfast. Since it's still early, we can have it in the kitchens. But no truce."

Hermione sat at a table in the Hogwarts kitchen across from Draco. There were house elves scattered all around. Some cleaning. Some preparing the breakfast that would be served to the school in a matter of hours, and some just wandering aimlessly around. Hermione was picking unconsciously at her food and thinking of just the right way to press Draco why he had not been at school for the past week.

"Are you not hungry?" Draco asked as he watched her pick at her food.

"Oh, um. Yeah, I'm just distracted," she replied without looking up.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Why haven't you been in school?" Hermione blurted out. She slowly looked up. That was not how she was planning on asking him.

He calmly looked back at her, trying to hide the flash of anger he felt when she asked him. He knew it would come up eventually. There would be nothing to lose if he told her now.

"Voldemort," he began. "Voldemort killed my parents."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I'm sorry that this took so long. I wanted to take my time and make it sound exactly like I pictured it in my head.I hope you guys find it at least satisfactory. Thanks again to Nicole for editing.**

Chapter Five:

Harry Potter reluctantly awoke to the sound of a bird screeching near his window. He lazily rubbed his eyes and felt around his bedside table for his glasses. He turned his head and studied a sleeping Ginny Weasley. Her fiery red hair was sprawled out over the pillow that both of their heads were resting on. She was snuggled up to his right side and her arm was comfortably draped over his stomach. He could feel her warm breath on his skin, and could see the steady up and down movement of her chest under the maroon comforter. The sun that came through the window lit up her skin and made her look flawless. If he had not already fallen in love with her, he would have right then. Harry slowly shifted an arm so he could stroke her hair.

He was happy. Happier than he thought he could ever be. When he miserably started his sixth year at Hogwarts, he thought he was in for yet another restless year of trials and disappointments. But then Ginny had come along. She came to him that night and poured herself into him, through a kiss. A kiss that took him away from everything, a kiss that made him realize that she was what he had needed this whole time. But he knew trouble was coming. He could feel it. Sometimes he thought it wrong to use Ginny as a means of forgetting that the trouble, the darkness, was there, but he was happy and now in love, and also thought it wrong to let those two emotions pass him by.

Ron was still uncomfortable with his best friend dating his little sister, but that too did not stop Harry. Hermione on the other hand was coping well, Harry had mused. But he assumed that she was so busy with her own problems, that there simply was not enough time to deal with his too. Harry noticed that Hermione was not concentrating on her school work as she used to, as well. When she was in the common room at night doing her assignments, she was forever fidgeting.

He knew it had to do with Draco Malfoy. He could tell that Hermione was annoyed with Dumbledore's choice in pairing the two of them together, but he never thought it would affect her this much. Yet Harry was also not stupid. He knew the agitation went deeper. He could see that Malfoy had developed some sort of affection for Hermione, but could not understand why. Malfoy had always deeply loathed Harry and his friends, especially Hermione. Harry thought that maybe the reason Hermione was not dealing with it well was because she too had developed feelings for that certain Slytherin that she had always hated before. Harry did not approve, not at all. But then, he had no room for ill judgment upon others. He was the one that went behind his best friends' backs and shagged Ron's little sister.

Nevertheless, the embrace between Hermione and Malfoy that Harry had unfortunately witnessed in the library three days back made him want to gag. _I wonder if Ron has_-

Harry's thoughts were cut off as he felt Ginny stir next to him. He watched her as she languidly stretched.

"Did I wake you?" He asked her softly.

She shook her head and rolled on top of him while his arms instinctively wound around her supple form. For a moment, he got lost in her eyes. Her mesmerizing deep blue eyes. She bent down and kissed him softly on the lips, lingering for just an instant. She put her head next to his and buried her face in the pillow. Harry slid his hand under the oversized t-shirt she was wearing, and started to rub her back. He heard her sigh in approval. Her skin was warm and soft under his hand and he wondered what she used to make it feel so delicate.

"How long have you been up?" Ginny asked. Her voice was muffled by the pillow.

"Not long. There was this obnoxious bird screeching by the window."

Without warning, Ginny jumped up and reached for the window, her feet barely missing Harry's head when she came back down. She tried again and missed.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing?" He asked her as she continued to jump for the latch on the window.

"I'm expecting a letter from Charlie. He and a team of people have discovered a new dragon. He wants me to tell Hagrid all about it," she squealed as she continued jumping. Harry swiftly stood up and unlatched the window above the bed. A big grey owl flew through the window and down onto the bed. Ginny plopped down next to it. Harry sat down across from her and watched her eyes light up as she read.

"It's dangerous," she began excitedly. "Even worse than the Hungarian horntail. It's got- ouch!" Ginny ended with a shriek. The grey owl that had delivered the letter had bit hard into her wrist. Harry picked up the owl, and sent it back out of the window. He sat back down and took Ginny's forearm in his hand. He kept his eyes on hers as he brought his lips to the wound on her wrist. The pulse there picked up its pace when his lips made contact. He soothed the pain with the tip of his tongue, and continued kisses up her arm as he gently pushed her back down on the bed. His lips made their way to her neck as his hands roamed her body, turning her bones to liquid.

"Harry, we can't," Ginny protested, meekly.

'We can," He began as he started to bring her shirt over her head. "We have, we will."

"Not now."

"Right now."

"We have class," she pleaded.

"We can skip class," he said softly as he ran his lips about her face. Her mind was going hazy and she had to struggle to keep her thoughts in order.

"We skipped class yesterday, and the day before," Ginny began and took his face in her hands to look at him. "Today we have to go to class."

He lowered his head to press his lips to hers, and felt the wave of desire flow from her and into him. He pulled away and touched a hand to her cheek.

"Okay, we'll go to class. But tonight-"

She nodded. "Tonight."

Hermione arrived to Transfiguration and saw that the room was still empty. Looking over to the clock she read and realized that she was twenty minutes early. Hermione walked to the back of the classroom and took a seat. She sighed and put her chin in her hand.

Malfoy's reaction to his parents being murdered irked Hermione. When he told her, his eyes were glazed with indifference. His voice drenched with apathy when he said, "When you're working with the Dark Lord and don't live up to his expectations, death is the punishment. My parents were foolish for taking orders from him, anyway. Nobody orders me to do anything."

She knew that there had to be some sort of grief residing in him somewhere. It scared her to think that he really did not care. How could she be with someone that did not seem to have a heart? Wait, she was getting far too ahead of herself. She would never be with Draco Malfoy. At least that is what she was determined to keep telling herself.

An oblivious Hermione was startled when the door to Professor McGonagall's classroom slammed shut. A group of students shuffled into the room, followed by Professor McGonagall herself. Everyone unwillingly took seats next to their partners. Hermione shuffled through her bag and pulled out her books and set them down on the table before she could realize that Draco had arrived. She was surprised that she did not hear him come in, or hear him take his seat next to her. Face blank and eyes cold, she made eye contact with him and then started on her work.

"Good morning to you too, Granger," Draco said in a dull tone.

"I didn't say anything about a good morning Malfoy, as you seemed to have not noticed," Hermione murmured, keeping her head down in her work.

"I know, I was being-"

"A smart ass, yeah, I caught on," she said.

"I was going to say sarcastic, your way works," he snarled, eyes narrowing.

At this, Professor McGonagall made a noise as if to clear her throat. "Mr. Malfoy and Miss. Granger, would you like to take this outside?"

Hermione looked up from her work and saw that the whole class had their eyes pinned on her and Malfoy. "I don't think that's-"

"Yes, we would Professor," Draco cut in smoothly. He grabbed Hermione's arm and yanked her up from her seat.

"Get your hands off of me!" She exclaimed as he started to drag her to the door.

"We will deal with it outside, Granger."

"I don't think that will be necessary," she said, trying to break from his hold.

"Now now, Hermione, don't make a scene," Draco came back with dryly- and him using her name shut her up, once again.

They were at the door when it swung open and Harry walked in.

"How nice of you to join us, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall noted, curtly.

"Where have you been?" Hermione hissed in Harry's ear as she passed him at the door.

"I overslept," Harry replied to the retreating back of his friend. Hermione rolled her eyes because she knew it was more than oversleeping but did not get a chance to say anything because Malfoy had pulled her completely out of the classroom.

"What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" She asked as she finally broke from his grip.

"I need to show you something," he replied as he watched the anger dance in her eyes.

"Well it can wait," she said heatedly and reached for the door, but was unsuccessful as Draco's hand closed over hers. She froze and stared at him, brown eyes digging into his own and her next words were a barely contained growl. "How many times am I going to have to tell you not to put your hands on me?"

"That all depends. Now, are you going to come willingly, or am I going to be forced to drag you?"

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Malfoy. We have class to attend," Hermione said, frustration rising in her throat.

"I guess that answers my question," Draco said and once again, grabbed her arm and started to drag her down the hall.

"Look Draco," she spat out the syllables of his name, "I don't know what kind of macho I'm-strong-enough-to-drag-people-around game you're playing at here, but it's really not the time." She said the words, but had given up on trying to get out of Draco's grip, letting him pull her along. "If you hadn't noticed, we're coming up on a due date for a project that we've barely even finished and we can't really afford to skip Transfiguration."

"After I show you this, we will be able to skip the rest of the day," he replied as he pulled her around the corner and into a storage room.

"I highly doubt that," she said while searching the room for something worth looking at. "Malfoy, why did you take me to look at all the potions for the project?"

"I didn't. I took you to look at our potion for the project," he said, and gestured over to a cauldron that was glowing purple. Draco let go of her arm.

Hermione made her way to the cauldron and dropped to her knees in front of it. She picked up what looked like a wooden spoon and started stirring the potion. The glowing purple color turned into a smoky maroon. Her eyes lit up with excitement.

"It's finished," she whispered, still looking at the potion.

Satisfaction surged through Draco Malfoy when he saw the look on her face. It was a nightmare trying to finish the potion in three days, but Draco found something in his father's dungeon when he went back home that worked like a charm.

"So it seems," he said.

Hermione rose to her feet and crossed the room to Draco. Her hands were in her pockets; she was looking down at the floor and rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Draco I-," she paused. "I want to-," another pause. "How did-," she stopped and looked up at him. Amusement danced in his eyes. "Thank you," she said with a shy grin growing on her lips.

"How did you do it?" She then asked.

"That would be for me to know and you to find out," he began as he wound one of her loose curls around his finger. "But I could be persuaded."

"Oh really," she said, snorting. "I've never been good at persuasions."

Draco hooked his fingers through her belt loops and pulled her to him. Her breath caught in her throat as their bodies met. "Come to Hogsmead with me tomorrow," he whispered in her ear. His lips made their way to her neck, her collar bone. When her mind started to fog she brought his face back to hers with her hands.

"Why should I?" Hermione asked, her voice rough in her throat.

"You owe me," he said as he brought the hands that were at her hips to her waist, and pulled her closer. A low groan escaped her lips as Draco devoured her mouth. She met his desire equally and raked her fingers through his silky blonde hair.

He had not expected her to lips to be so uncontained and willing, or the explosion inside of him as their mouths moved together. He was used to being slow and gentle with her, but something inside had taken over and if he did not stop soon, he would take her right there on the floor of the storage room. He took her face in his hands and pulled it away. He watched her eyes open and ran his hands down to her neck, her shoulders, her arms, and stopped at her hips.

The moment was broken as she brought her arms across her chest and he felt a twinge of annoyance.

"I don't owe you anything," She said, though her voice not so steady.

"No, but I'll buy you lunch," He bargained, grey-blue eyes becoming soft once more.

Such a look made her almost melt before his gaze. "Hmm." She struggled for worse, "Well, I was never one to turn down free food..."

"Good, then meet me by the fountain by ten." Draco pressed his lips hard on her own once more, then turned around and stalked out, leaving Hermione standing next to their potion, breathless and confused.


End file.
